Life belt



May 9, 1944. F. A. FALANGA LIFE BELT Filed Jan. 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet1 I Invntor 212mb indren Fabyw BY a I May 9, 1944. F. A. FALANGA LIFEBELT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 26, 1943 Patented May 9, 1 944 LIFEBELT Frank Andrew Falanga, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignmof thirty-three perand thirty-four per both of Brooklyn,

cent to Concetta Falanga cent to Andrew Falanga,

Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 473,641 '1 Claim. (01. 9-17)This invention relates to new and useful improvements in life savingapparatus and more particularly to a life belt.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a life beltconstructed of such materials a will not readily become water logged.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a life beltwhich will not become ineifective because of partial damage.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a lifebelt which can be readily applied to a person and which will serve tomaintain its head and shoulders well out of the water, in whichcapacity, the belt will be especially suitable for military purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent tothe reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents an of the belt.

Figure 2 is an inside elevational view of the belt.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through several floatcells of the belt.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a float unit of the belt.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 ofFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a block of the floatable material.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the springfasteners.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that the belt construction includes an elongatedsubstantially wide band 5 of fabric or some other suitable materialhaving upper and lower spring retainer hooks 6, I at one end thereof andcomplementary rings 8, 9, respectively, at its opposite end.

To the inside of the band 5 are secured vertically disposed strips l 0,the upper and lower ends of which are stitched as at l I to defineguideways I2 through which longitudinally disposed upper and lowerstraps l3, M are disposed, each strap being provided at one end with abuckle I5.

Shoulder straps l6, I! are provided at the upoutside elevational viewper edge of the band 5 and these strap cross each other as shown inFigures 1 and 2 so that they will cross the back of the belt wearer andpreclude the likelihood of the belt becoming displaced even though theother fastening means becomes defective.

It can be seen that the belt after the shoulder straps l6, l1 aredisposed over the shoulders of the wearer is first secured by the beltsl3, I4, after which the hooks 6, 1 are engaged with the rings 8,v 9.

The outside of the belt has a fabric structure secured thereto in whicha plurality of cells I8 are formed. These cells H! are formed in anydesired manner and suitably secured to the complementary sheet l9 andthe band 5 by suitable stitching 20.

Each of the cells l8 contains a float unit, such as generally referredto by numeral 2|. Each float unit 2| comprises a block or brick-shapedstructure 22 of balsa wood having a jacket 23 of copper, brass, tin orsome other suitable reinforcing material. This unit is disposed into thecorresponding cell l8.

Whilevthe foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous change in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A life belt comprising a ,pair of coextensive fabric body-encirclingbands, including an inner band and an outer band secured one against theother, said outer band having spaced apart offset portions forming cellsat the outside of the belt, the inner band having a smooth surfaceadapted to lie next to a persons body, floatable elements in the cells,shoulder straps secured to the belt, said shoulder straps being securedwith corresponding end portions in overlapping relation;

fabric strips secured vertically to the inner band, v

loops at the upper and lower ends of the strips, and upper and lowerstraps mounted in said loops and adapted for securing about the body ofa erson.

FRANK ANDREW FALANGA.

